The Israelites have just crossed the Red Sea on dry ground after God miraculously parted the waters, destroying Pharaoh's pursuing army. Moses and the people celebrated with a triumphant song of deliverance, and Miriam led the women in dance and praise. Following this celebration, Moses led Israel from the Red Sea into the wilderness of Shur, where they traveled for three days without finding water. The people's initial joy from their deliverance has given way to physical need as they journey deeper into the desert. When they finally arrive at Marah, they discover the water there is bitter and undrinkable, causing the congregation to complain against Moses about their desperate thirst.
[23] Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. [24] And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” [25] So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.
There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, [26] and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”
[27] Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.
In the preceding chapters, Solomon has been praying for wisdom, acknowledging his human limitations and the impossibility of understanding God's will without divine guidance. He has reflected on how wisdom enables rulers to govern justly and has emphasized that wisdom is a gift from God that must be sought through prayer. Solomon recognizes that even the most capable human minds cannot comprehend heavenly matters or God's purposes unless the Holy Spirit grants understanding. He has established that wisdom was present with God at creation and knows God's works, making her essential for discerning what pleases God. The prayer continues as Solomon asks God to send wisdom from the holy heavens to guide him in his responsibilities, knowing that human reasoning alone is insufficient for the weighty task of leadership and for understanding the divine plan that governs all creation.
[9] And wisdom was with thee: which knoweth thy works, and was present when thou madest the world, and knew what was acceptable in thy sight, and right in thy commandments. [10] O send her out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory, that being present she may labor with me, that I may know what is pleasing unto thee. [11] For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power. [12] So shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my father's seat.
[13] For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord is? [14] For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain. [15] For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things. [16] And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labor do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who hath searched out? [17] And thy counsel who hath known, except thou give wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above? [18] For so the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto thee, and were saved through wisdom.
[1] She preserved the first formed father of the world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall, [2] and gave him power to rule all things.
St. Paul's First Epistle to the Thessalonians 2:9-16
Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers of his conduct during his initial visit to their city, emphasizing how he and his companions worked night and day to support themselves financially while preaching the gospel, deliberately avoiding being a burden to the new converts. He had labored among them with integrity and devotion, treating them with the care and encouragement of a father guiding his children. The apostle now shifts to commend the Thessalonians for their response to his message and their subsequent perseverance despite facing opposition from their own countrymen, drawing a parallel to the persecution experienced by the churches in Judea. Paul is addressing the Thessalonian church.
[9] For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.
[10] You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; [11] as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, [12] that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
[13] For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. [14] For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, [15] who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, [16] forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.
Jesus has been traveling throughout Galilee, teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing various diseases and afflictions among the people. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan have been following him. He has delivered the Sermon on the Mount, healed a leper, the centurion's servant, Peter's mother-in-law, and many demon-possessed individuals. He calmed a storm, cast demons into swine in the country of the Gadarenes, healed a paralytic, called Matthew the tax collector to follow him, and raised a ruler's daughter from the dead while healing a woman with a hemorrhage. He has also restored sight to two blind men and speech to a mute man. The Pharisees have accused him of casting out demons by the prince of demons.
[36] But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. [37] Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. [38] Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
[1] And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. [2] Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; [3] Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; [4] Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
[5] These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [7] And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’